Training and Preparation

Training tips for preparing for your Kilimanjaro climb!

Kilimanjaro Training and Preparation Guide

The trek up Mount Kilimanjaro is not a technical climb. With some training and preparation, anyone is good physical conditions can reach the summit. Here are some tips on Fitness, Exercise and Heart Rate.

Muscles get stronger if they are used regularly, at a suitable level and for a sustained period. This is known as the training effect. As a hiker, you might think that the most important muscles to train are in your legs, but in fact, training the heart muscles is even more vital. If you train your heart muscles, your heart would pump blood more efficiently and deliver more oxygen to your muscle tissues. This is crucial to your well-being while trekking and ultimately your success in reaching the summit.

Cardiovascular (CV) fitness refers to the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen-rich blood to the working muscle tissues and the ability of the muscles to use oxygen to produce energy for movement. You can improve your CV fitness simply by exercising in your target zone for at least 20 minutes several times a week.

Below is a table that shows what your target zone for heart rate should be based on your age. (N.B. It is a guideline only and does not take into account individual differences.)

Age range

(years)

Target zone

(beats per minute)

16-20

140-170

21-25

136-166

26-30

133-162

31-35

130-157

36-40

126-153

41-45

122-149

46-50

119-144

51-55

116-140

56-60

112-136

61-65

108-132

66-70

105-128

71-75

102-123

76-80

98-119

Exercising above your target zone will not increase your CV fitness significantly, and may tire your faster. Exercising below your target zone may benefit you in weight loss, but will not improve your fitness level noticeably. If you exercise within your target zone for 20-40 minutes every other day, you will notice your fitness improving within a few weeks. The fit person climbs more easily, uses less oxygen per unit of work done and is more energy-efficient. When everything takes more effort than usual at altitude, it helps with progress and morale to know that your heart is pumping the available oxygen efficiently to your muscle tissues.

The answer depends on your preference, your lifestyle and where you live. If you live in or near pleasant terrain for walking or jogging, have considerable self-discipline and don’t mind the weather, suitable footwear may be all you need. Consider getting a heart rate monitor to make your training more systematic. Try going out with a friend who also wants to get fit. If your training needs and pace are compatible, you will motivate each other.

If brisk walking or jogging does not appeal, you may want to find a mix of activities you enjoy and can do often enough, i.e. three times per week. If you dislike an activity, you will not stick to it. Anything that puts your heart rate into the target zone is fine, e.g. energetic dancing, cycling or swimming. Consider joining a gym or fitness centre. Their equipment is designed to measure and build CV fitness. A gym makes you independent of the weather and limited daylight. There are trained staffs who can assist you and it is easy to monitor your progress.

Avoid relying on a single form of exercise. The smooth flat surface of a treadmill does nothing to prepare your leg muscles for the rough terrain of Mt Kilimanjaro. If you use a gym for convenience, try to complement it with some hill-walking expeditions in the weeks prior to departure. However you exercise, minimize the risk of straining your body, especially at first, by warming up slowly beforehand, stretching before and after your training session, then cooling down afterwards. After warming up your muscles with a low-impact exercise, stretching before training reduces the risk of injury. After training, stretching prevents a build-up of lactic acid in your muscles that would lead to stiffness later. Take a water container and drink plenty of water before, during and after your training sessions.

Kilimanjaro Fitness Program:

Gym training program

Cycle 25 minutes

Twice a week

Leg press 3 sets of 15

Three times a week

Knee extensions 3 sets of 15

Three times a week

Back extensions 3 sets of 15

Three times a week

Sit-ups 3 sets of 10

Daily

Hiking program

8 weeks prior to departure

Week 1 :

Week 2 :

3 min of stretching

3 min of stretching

4 kilometres walk/run

6 kilometres walk/run

3 min of stretching

3 min of stretching

Week 3 :

Week 4 :

5 min of stretching

5 min of stretching

8 kilometres walk/run

8 kilometres walk/run

5 min of stretching

5 min of stretching

Week 5 :

Week 6 :

5 min of stretching

3 min of stretching

10 kilometres of walk/run

10 kilometres of walk/run

5 min of stretching

3 min of stretching

Week 7 :

Week 8 :

5 min of stretching

Rest

8 kilometres of walk/run

Rest

3 min of stretching

Rest

You don’t need to be a gym junkie to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, nor give up your normal life and pleasures. Just get reasonably fit so you can enjoy the experience. Start well in advance. If you are already fit, a moth of special training might be enough. But if you are unfit, try to start at least six months in advance.

For CV fitness, you need to have sessions that last at least 20 minutes for maximum training effect. Build it up to 30 minutes, and then 40-60 minutes approaching your departure date. Better still, spend the odd day walking fast on rough or hilly terrain. During the climb, your heart rate may exceed the target zone for hours on end, prepare your body for sustained effort on the mountain.

The best frequency for training is every other day. The body needs a day to rest to extract maximum benefit from the training session. Since you may miss the odd session, three times per week is the goal for your main training period. In the month prior to departure, build up to longer sessions and higher target heart rates. Stop training a day or two before you leave. But if you have a spare day on arrival in Tanzania, go for a long walk.